The
Water! Water!
Keys of
St. Peter’s
Volume 151, Number 6
| February, 2015
No matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here!
The Corner Office
Wetting the Appetite
As I write this, tremendous amounts of water are
We write in water.
falling from the sky; the rain pools up inconveniently and flows about as if it owned the place. Some people might hesitate to complain about the rain because we need it so badly, but I'm a fan of stating the obvious and let's admit it, no matter how much we need this rain, it's a nuisance.
—Shakespeare, “Henry VIII”
And yet. There is a rhythm to the rain and the sun that makes rainy days a pleasure. The subdued light and sound calls me to a quieter place—not that I can always go there—but it calls me and if I can, I slow down and stay close to the hearth, so to speak. I read, I write, I cook complicated recipes, I sort through things that need sorting, I watch movies, or I talk with people I haven't spoken with in awhile. Some would say it is the change in light; I think that there is much to be said for the sound of rain, and for the dampness. Though the spirituality of light is clear, the spirituality of water is surely as deeply felt. Most of us are drawn to water; we want to live next to it or near it, we buy fountains for our homes and gardens, we go to water for vacation, find ways to hang out in water. In scripture, if you wanted to find a wife, never mind online dating, you went to a well. We baptize babies with water, and we bless and consecrate with water. In the Bible water is mentioned more than twice as often as light. As I finish this up the sun has returned. The birds have come out of wherever they tucked in for the storm, and I want to get moving again. And much as I prefer the sun and warmth and dry weather, I have learned to enjoy the rain that pours down its own blessings.
Close your eyes and imagine a postcard scene: a tranquil forest lake under a blue sky full of fluffy white clouds, with majestic snow-capped mountains rising in the background. You could call it a beautiful landscape… or an illustration of the central role that water plays in shaping our world. The scene contains water in all three physical states: liquid in the lake, vapor in the clouds, and solid in the snow. The mountains were carved by water, and the forest, like all of life, needs water for its existence—in fact, the forest is made mostly of water. And you, sitting there imagining the pastoral scene? You’re about two thirds water yourself. You can’t do without water any more than a fish can. Water is a necessity in everyone’s life—something we all utterly depend on but rarely think about. Well, until recently. Here at the Keys we’ve been giving water a lot of thought. And the more we learn, the more we realize that water is a miracle and a wonder. Consider some stats. In round figures, Earth contains about 321 million cubic miles of water. Where did it all come from? It came from space. Some say comets brought it… others say asteroids. Space is full of water. We’re told there’s a big cloud of water vapor circling a distant quasar that contains 140 trillion times more water than all of Earth's oceans. Most of Earth’s water, about 97 percent, is in the oceans, with the rest in groundwater, lakes, ice, and clouds. It’s hard to take comfort in the fact that only .001 percent is in the clouds when you’re caught in a downpour.
Susan+ Since the oceans grow saltier over time, today’s oceans are a little saltier than blood. Animals with circulatory systems evolved millions of years ago
when the oceans were less salty. It’s interesting to contemplate the ancient seas our bodies still enclose. Freshwater exists because of the cycle of evaporation and precipitation that dries our laundry and ruins parades. Rain and snow are products of distillation— water turned into vapor through evaporation and then cooled to condense as precipitation. Winds carry water vapor over land at the same rate that runoff is carried into the sea, striking a pretty awesome balance. Due to a quirk of chemistry, there’s a strong attractive force between molecules of water. This accounts for capillary action—the tendency of water to move up a narrow tube against the force of gravity. Vascular plants, such as flowers and trees, evolved to take advantage of capillary action. The attractive molecular force also accounts for water’s surface tension, which allows water striders, pygmy geckos, Jesus lizards, and other intriguing creatures to walk on water and think nothing of it. Rain is naturally mildly acidic, and will dissolve alkaline minerals—limestone, for example—more quickly than surrounding nonalkaline rock. Many of the world’s most spectacular caves, such as Mammoth Cave and Carlsbad Caverns, are the result… likewise the interconnected subterranean water systems under Florida, the source of all those dramatic sinkholes that cars and houses occasionally tumble into. Water obviously shapes the world above ground, too. Erosion and glaciation are responsible for most of Earth’s topography. Precipitation sculpts our environment, creating mountain glens, magnificent canyons, river valleys, fertile deltas, and potholes. Almost every substance known to man becomes denser as it cools. But not water, which begins to increase in volume below four degrees Celsius. Ice is about nine percent less dense than liquid water, which is why it floats. Think how different the world would be if ice sank and the oceans were nine percent higher! Water is the original standard of weight in both the English and the metric systems. A pint of freshwater is one pound in the English system, and a cubic centimeter of freshwater is one gram in the metric system. A surprising amount of human activity is dependent on boiling water, for cooking and for power. Steam was the primary source of power during the Industrial Revolution—and is still a source of power today.
metaphorically, and most religions have ritual bathing ceremonies. Judaism has several purification rites that involve water, including a ceremony of full body immersion called Tvilah, used during conversion to Judaism, among other occasions. John the Baptist practiced a form of Tvilah. Baptism is common to almost every Christian denomination. Some churches baptize by immersion, as the early Christians did. Others practice aspersion (sprinkling water on the head) or affusion (pouring water on the head). The sacrament of baptism brings us into the church, the body of Christ. Imagine—it takes only a few drops of water to wash us into a collective sea of souls. Most Christian denominations believe that you can be baptized only once: “once in a lifetime,” as David Byrne might say. Into the blue again In the silent water The Bible is awash in water—our tireless deacon has counted up all the references and found 719. Genesis begins with “darkness over the face of the deep” and Revelation ends with the “water of life.” No wonder the fish was Christianity’s original symbol. There may be so much water in the Bible because its writers came from such a dry land. If you don’t miss your water till your well runs dry, imagine living in Palestine in Roman times. Clean water must have been the rarest of luxuries. Lately it’s become easier for residents of the Bay Area to imagine life in a dry land, since the drought that’s plagued us for the past several years threatens to continue into the future. January passed without a drop of rain, a painful reminder of how precious water is. People sometimes say that droughts are signs of God’s anger… it’s always convenient to blame God for droughts, floods, and other catastrophes. But it wasn’t God who spent the last century or two pumping more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, so maybe we shouldn’t be too hasty to pin the blame on him. The lack of water turns everything topsy-turvy. It’s usually human nature to love sunny days and resent the rainy ones. But lately it’s been the rainy days that make us happy. All of us will be checking the skies through the rest of the winter… for clouds. Here’s hoping that February brings plenty of rain on everyone’s parade!
Among the many other ways we use water is to clean and bathe in it. Cleaning can also be thought of 2
The Keys of St. Peter
The Deacon’s Beacon
The Halo Awards
My guess is that you have already read the editor’s article on water and are now informed about the amazing and unique properties of water and how essential it is to life. You know that 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water, yet less than one percent is fit for human consumption. Too much water and we die, and too little water and we die. Nowhere is this fact more frequently implied than in our own Bible, which features no fewer than 719 references to water. Another amazing fact is that liquid water can exist only in a relatively narrow range of temperatures and because of that a planet must be in just the right spot relative to its sun in order to sustain life. This means that planets featuring just the right conditions for life are rare indeed. That is why the search for extraterrestrial life fascinates me. We know that the odds against life as we know it being possible in any given solar system or even galaxy are very great and yet the universe is so immense that it seems virtually certain that life exists somewhere out there.
Moments come in a congregation when a thank you— no matter how heartfelt and even if accompanied by a lovely note from the rector—can’t really begin to convey gratitude. Though I cannot actually give out halos, I give out what I call Halo Awards. This month the award goes to two front office employees whose efforts keep the parish running.
Does it bother you that we might not be alone in the universe? Does the possibility of extraterrestrial life somehow mean that we are not so special to God? I don't think so. Why should God's capacity to love each of his creatures be any less infinite than the universe? When God first spoke to Abraham, there were only about 27 million people on the planet. When Jesus lived among us there were 170 million. Today there are over seven billion. If God can love each of us with equal fervor despite the fact that our numbers have grown by several orders of magnitude, why would the existence of divinely-created beings in other planets make a difference? In fact, I would argue that the possibility and even likelihood of the existence of extraterrestrial life only adds proof to the immensity of God's love for us. How blessed we are!
First: a halo to Siobhan Taylor for her devotion to St. Peter’s. She works overtime most weeks, remembers what I forget, actively thinks and works to solve problems—some of which I do not see coming—and is just generally an angel without wings. She gets a sparkly halo that stays put even when she’s dancing. Second: heartfelt thanks to our parish treasurer, John Lessar, whose hard work keeps our books straight and our financials on track. John’s willingness to take on a difficult job is something the whole parish benefits from and appreciates. At the Annual Meeting John said his job is “a labor of love.” Maybe so, but it’s not unrequited! Congratulations, you two. You both look good in halos. Susan+
Deacon Skip
Word of the Month Petrichor (Pe-truh-kore) n. A sweet scent from rocks, soil, etc. at the beginning of a rain storm. February, 2015
3
The Progressive Dinner
Annual Meeting
Movable feast a big success! At 6:00 pm on the evening of Saturday, February 7, a mob of more than two dozen hungry people descended on the lovely Park home to enjoy salmon and stuffed eggs, refreshing beverages, and great conversation. But before you knew it everyone was forced to leave less an hour later, because that was just the first course of the Progressive Dinner. Next, the mob arrived en mass at the beautiful Hardie O’Hare home for the main course, which was New Orleans food, and of which the rector personally ate more than her fair share. Then, just as people were settling into the sofas and loosening their belts, everyone got back into their cars and headed to the Gouldens’ for dessert.. It was heaven. Cakes, cookies, chocolate—they had it all… and it all got eaten. It was a fabulous evening; no one got badly lost, and we all arrived pretty much on time. The rector (like everyone else who attended) says, “Let’s do it again soon!” Susan+
Mixing business and pleasure The 151st Annual Meeting of St. Peter’s Church was held on February 8, and it really is astonishing how the congregation manages to turn the dull business of running a parish into a warm moment of fellowship. After making short work of a delicious brunch prepared by the Vestry, the people of St. Peter’s raised their voices in song, led by Jeff Redlawsk and Mona Dena, and the meeting began. Treasurer John Lessar presented an overview of parish finances, including a review of the current balance sheet and of 2014 income and expense. He then fielded a few questions on real estate, our financial reserves, 2014 expenses, and the outlook for 2015. The final 2015 budget is waiting for Vestry approval, but John anticipates that the parish will break even. Peter Hutchinson was elected to the Vestry, and one seat remains vacant. In her report to the parish Mother Susan reminded everyone of what a great year 2014 was. Among our many accomplishments were our active outreach (150 backpacks!), our ministries (more than 4,000 communions!), our many activities… and the most fantastic sesquicentennial celebration imaginable. Mother Susan asked the parish to remember members who died in 2014, and Su Boocock mentioned that we owe an especially large debt of gratitude to Rod and Sue Walker, who moved out of state in the fall. Among the parishioners singled out for special recognition were Deacon Skip Bushee; outgoing Priest’s Warden Sue Mitchell; John Nieman, whose help with the buildings and grounds was instrumental in 2014; People’s Warden Megan Goulden, whose volunteer spirit was gratefully acknowledged; and Rebecca Schenone, whose leadership helped make our 150th anniversary celebration a roaring success. Speaking of whom, Becky was named our new priest’s warden for 2015. The meeting ended the same way it began: with a song and light hearts. Can’t wait for next year’s!
4
The Keys of St. Peter’s
From the Vestry The first Vestry meeting of the new year was held on Tuesday, January 13. The Vestry reviewed the church’s financial performance in 2014 and tackled a few other items as well.
Parish business under scrutiny
Treasurer John Lessar presented comprehensive financial reports, including preliminary income and expense for the full year of 2014. Income was approximately $20,000 higher than budgeted, and expenses were approximately $30,000 higher than budgeted, due in part to costs associated with the 150th Anniversary celebration.
____________
Entertaining… and Informative!
Income
Pick up a copy today!
Expense
Here are two keepers from the Annual Meeting that no one can live without! First, a DVD of the documentary film produced for last year’s 150th anniversary celebration. Titled “Conversations on the Journey,” the documentary covers parish history and includes interviews with dozens of parishioners. You may be one! Next, a copy of the parish’s Annual Report, your comprehensive guide to parish activities. If you weren’t at the Annual Meeting, grab one of each. The Annual Report and the DVD are available in the back of the sanctuary or through the church office. ____________
Net
Actual
Budget
Variance
$ 291,097
$ 270,631
$ 20,466
327,089
297,324
-29,766
$ -35,993
$ -26,693
$ -9,300
John also presented a draft budget for 2015. There were a few questions, and final decisions were deferred until the February meeting. Junior Warden Megan Goulden led a discussion on the benefits of hiring a part-time youth minister. Considering the importance of young people to parish life and congregational development, and the amount of time that Mother Susan devotes to the children and youth, the advantages seemed obvious. By acclaim the Vestry authorized Megan Goulden to develop a budget for further discussion. The Outreach Committee reported on a meeting held earlier in the day. Among the items discussed were:
How to begin a great Annual Meeting!
February. 2015
Men’s group. Update on discussions.
Atherton Court. Dinners to be held bimonthly.
Website. Several upgrades planned.
Children and Youth. Among the projects being considered or already in process are a new Godly Play project (see separate article elsewhere), repeating last year’s summer backpack drive on a smaller scale, and working with the YMCA summer swimming program.
Donations. Canned goods and spare change projects are underway. 5
The Keys. Reducing the quantity printed and not distributing through the mail.
Finally, the Vestry decided not to have a photography company produce the next parish directory. February’s Vestry meeting was held on Tuesday, February 3, and will be reported in next month’s Keys. Members of the Vestry are always happy to address questions or concerns about parish management.
Kid Stuff Everyone’s in stitches!
With the encouragement and guidance of Becky Schenone, Eleanor Antonakas, and Mother Susan, the parish young people are hard at work on a big quilting project. When they’re done they’ll have a large quilt (2,000 square inches!) illustrating the kids’ favorite Bible stories.
SPY Hits the Road Big news from SPY! After much discussion, the young people have decided to do a mission trip to Cloudcroft, New Mexico with Next Steps Ministries, from August 2 through 8. Their goal? Building projects with the local people and with other churches. SPY plans to use this trip to work out all the hiccups in the hope that the group can go on a bigger trip to another country—the youth are excited about going to Haiti—next year. They’ll take careful notes and share what they learn. Costs for the trip are somewhat high,* and the plan is to offset costs through fundraising, not just at church but by asking families, friends and neighbors to contribute as well. Parents are prepared to pay the full amount if the fundraising doesn't materialize.
On the prowl for inspiration
SPY and Mother Susan will keep everyone updated as details become available. For the moment, they ask for your prayers, and your gleeful support. *Estimated cost for this trip: $1,300 per child as follows:
$500-600 plane ticket $419 to Next Steps for lodging/activities/food $70 van rental costs $200 to fund two or three chaperones (one for every six kids).
Additional chaperones would be voluntary and would pay the airfare and fee.
Here’s a good one!
6
The Keys of St. Peter’s
The pictures will be recreated in fabric, stitched into a square… and then all the squares will be assembled into the final quilt, with help from a few of the parish’s adult quilters. If all goes well, all the squares will come together by the end of February.
Getting the assignment right
A busy classroom
Caution: artists at work
Do you have questions? Want to pitch in? Give Becky a call at 650 888-2921 or drop her a note at rschenone@sbcglobal.net.
The project started on Sunday, January 25 and will take about five weeks to complete. First each kid chose a Bible story, and then sketched and colored a picture of it. This gave the young people an opportunity to tell what they liked about the story, what they thought the story’s message might be, and what image they wanted to capture. February, 2015
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New Priest’s Warden
Yoga
Rebecca Schenone to lead Vestry in 2015
Great for body, mind, and spirit!
At the Annual Meeting on February 7, Mother Susan announced that Rebecca Schenone will be our new priest’s warden for 2015, taking the reins from Sue Mitchell, who headed the Vestry in 2014. Everyone knows Rebecca from the fabulous job she did organizing our 150th anniversary celebration, proof if any was needed that she’s a whiz at organizing, communicating, and multitasking. She tapped lots of parishioners for one task or another, and managed to get everyone to pitch in gladly and come away pleased… and the results spoke for themselves.
The church’s yoga class, held on Tuesdays (9:00 am to 10:00 am) and Fridays (10:00 am to 11:00 am) has turned out to be one of our most popular activities ever. Led by instructor Lorraine Desser Schulze, the class open to everyone. No experience necessary—it’s taught at a beginner’s level, and it weaves together traditional yoga postures, meditation, and mindfulness practice. What do you need to get started? Not much: just a mat, a strap or an old necktie, and a water bottle. In fact, extra mats and ties are available at the church. Lorraine tells us that yoga is a great antidote to stress. It revitalizes the body, calms the mind, and renews the spirit. The only thing missing is you! Stop by the parish hall on Tuesday or Friday morning to get started.
Becky lives in Emerald Hills with her husband Mitch. She has two grown children. Becky began coming to St. Peter’s in 2012 and joined the Vestry in 2013. Becky says that her focus for 2015 will be on music, the budget, youth ministry, pastoral care, and outreach. She tells us that fellowship, connection, and celebration of faith and community are what she loves about St. Peter’s. “Our history strengthens our desire and commitment for growth.” We asked Becky what St. Peter's has brought to her own life. “It has rekindled my relationship with God and with my Christian faith,” she said. “St. Peter’s has given me a spiritual home and friendship.” And she adds, “I appreciate that we have Vestry members with a sense of humor!” If you have a thought or two on where the parish should go in its 151st year, now’s the time to tell Becky. 8
The Keys of St. Peter’s
Lenten Meditations From the very earliest days of humanity, people have “come away to a quiet place” in search of meaning, truth, reassurance, and wisdom, and (most especially) a deeper relationship with one’s soul and with God. Last year, St. Peter’s sent out a Lenten Meditation each day in Lent with the hope that in the midst of our noisy, busy lives, taking time for spiritual reflection would be become a priority—if just for a little while. The chosen meditations and images were from a variety of sources; most were from our fellow parishioners. This collection of quotes, stories, poems, parables, and visual art became not only deeply meaningful but was also a glorious reflection of who we are as a church. Let’s do it again this year. Send in images, affirmations, meditations, poems, and quotes that speak to your soul; send in things that make you want to stop, engage, and interact. In the office, we will be collecting your submissions and will email them out daily to everyone during Lent. We’ll also bind them into weekly booklets for those who prefer hard copies. Susan+ __________
Confirmations, Receptions, and Reaffirmations One of the most important (and meaningful) rites of the Episcopal Church is confirmation. In a confirmation service you’re confirming your baptism, acknowledging a deeper commitment to your faith. Confirmation is traditional for young people, but a person can be confirmed at any age. If you’ve already been confirmed but would like recommit yourself to the Christian life of faith, the service of reaffirmation is for you. And if you’ve already been confirmed in a Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, or an Eastern Orthodox church, you can be received into the Episcopal Church in a service of reception. A combined service of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation is offered twice a year at Grace Cathedral, and the next one scheduled will be on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 11:00 am. If you’re the parent of a child old enough to be confirmed, if you’d like to reconfirm your faith or be received into the Epicopal Church, or if you’re just interested in learning more about the Anglican Communion, now’s the time to find a notebook and sharpen some pencils. Starting in April, Mother Susan will begin a study group on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am in the Vestry Room. The series will wrap up in time for all communicants to be part of the June service at the cathedral. Interested? An outline will be available shortly. Ask Mother Susan for a copy.
Noted in Brief Atherton Court A quick reminder that we’ll be serving dinner again at Atherton Court on Friday, February 27. It’s a great way to contribute to the lives of those less fortumate than us. For more info contact Billy Park at addawg@icloud.com. Men’s Retreat Our newly-revitalized Men’s Group is heading on a retreat, from Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29. More info? Deacon Skip Bushee at gsbushee@gmail.com. February, 2015
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Mark the Date!
Rites of Passage
A few items for your calendar…
February Birthdays
- Ash Wednesday, February 18: . Services at 7:00 am (at the train station), 12:00 noon, and 7:00 pm.
Bruce Rollin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 3
Bill Heinrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 5
Claire Jensenrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 9
Krista Miloslavich. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 9
Sue Walker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 10
Will McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 11
Donna Davidson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 13
Jim Runyeon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 17
Karen Zack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 20
Laura Graham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 20
Gabriel O’Hare Hardy. . . . . . . . . .
February 24
-Thursday, February 19: Crafty Ladies at 11:00 am -Thursday February 26: Crafty Ladies at 11:00 am -Friday, February 27. Dinner at Atherton Court. -Sunday, March 1: SPY at 6:00 pm -Thursday, March 5: Crafty Ladies at 11:00 am -Tuesday, March 10: Vestry at 7:00 pm -Thursday, March 12: Crafty Ladies at 11:00 am -Sunday, March 15: SPY at 6:00 PM -Thursday, March 19: Crafty Ladies at 11:00 am -Thursday, March 26: Crafty Ladies at 11:00 am Madison Redlawsk. . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 24
-Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29: Men’s Retreat.
Gertrude Lacina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 24
-Palm Sunday, March 29
Bernice O’Leary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 25
Deanna May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 27
.
February Anniversaries
Molly McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 14
Rod and Sue Walker. . . . . . . . . . .
February 18
Adina and James Badia. . . . . . . . .
February 23
Tom Terrill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 26
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The Keys of St. Peter’s
Get Involved! Parish governance. Senior Warden Rebecca Schenone. rschenone@sbcglobal.net LEMs, acolytes, and lectors. Contact the church office. Godly Play (Sunday School). Cari Pang Chen. caripangchen@gmail.com Altar Guild. Barbara Naas. gladbarb@comcast.net
The
Keys of
St. Peter’s February, 2015
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church 178 Clinton Street Redwood City, CA 94062 www.stpetersrwc.org
SPY (youth group). Mother Susan. susandparsons@aol.com
650 367-0777
Men’s Group. Deacon Skip Bushee. gsbushee@gmail.com
The Right Reverend Marc Andrus The Diocese of California
Hopkins Manor ministry. Deacon Skip Bushee. gsbushee@gmail.com Maple Street Shelter ministry. Pat McCarty. Pat_mccarty@sbcglobal.net Ushers. Erik Chen. runforyourlives@gmail.com Crafty Ladies. Midge Bobel. 650 364-0195
Clergy and Lay Staff The Reverend Susan D. Parsons, Rector The Reverend Skip Bushee, Deacon Ms. Faith McCoy Scriven, Interim Music Director Ms. Siobhan Taylor, Parish Administrator Officers of St. Peter’s Ms. Rebecca Schenone, Senior Warden Ms. Megan Goulden, Junior Warden Mr. John Lessar, Treasurer Mr. Peter Hutchinson, Clerk of the Vestry Vestry Ms. Megan Goulden Mr. Peter Hutchinson Ms. Susan Mitchell Mr. John Nieman Mr. Darryl Race Mr. Jim Redman Ms. Trish Reilly Taylor Ms. Rebecca Schenone Published monthly for the friends of St. Peter’s Church
March issue deadline: March 1
February, 2015
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St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
178 Clinton Street Redwood City, CA 94062
Non‐Profit U.S. Postage
PAID Redwood City, CA Permit no. 29
www.stpetersrwc.org
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Current resident or
The
In this issue…
Keys of St. Peter’s September, 2014
Water! Water! SPY hits the road! To bee or not to bee? The kids are quilting! Annual Meeting Recap